Page 470 - Child's own book

way to divert her, tliey thought, would be to urge her to marry ;
which the princess, who was now become less obstinate on that
point ilvin formerly, consented to; and thinking that such a
pigmy as the Yellow Dwarf would not dare to contend with so
gallant a person as the King of the Golden Mines, she fixed
upon that prince for her husband, who was exceedingly rich and
powerful, and loved her to distraction* The moat superb pre­
parations were made for the nuptials, and the happy day was
fixed; when, as they were proceeding to the ceremony, they
saw moving towards them a box, upon which sat an old woman
remarkable for her ugliness. “ ilold, queen and princess,’*
cried she, knitting her brows; ‘‘re­
member the promises you have both
made to my friend the Yellow Dwarf
I am the Desert Fairy; and unless
AH-Fair consent to marry him* 1
solemnly swear to burn my crutch.”
The <jueen and princess were struck
almost motionless by this unex­
pected address of the fairy ; but the
Prince of the Golden Mines was exceeding angry, and holding
his sword to her throat, he said, ** Fly, wretch ! or thy malice
shall cost thee thy life," No sooner had he uttered these
words, than the top of the box flying off, out came the Yellow
Dwarf, mounted upon a large Spanish cat, who, placing him­
self between the king aod the fairy, exclaimcd, ** Kash youth 1
thy rage shall be levelled at me, not at the Desert Fairy; I
am thy rival, and claim het by promise, and a single hair
round her finger/’ This ao enraged the king, that he cried
out, “ Contemptible creature 1 wert thou worthy of notice, [
would sacrifice thee for thy presumption." The Y ellow Dwarf,
clapping spurs to his cat, and drawing a cutlass, now defied the